Musical magic from the Caucasus – mix of Chechen melodies and Georgian polyphony
The ensemble preserves and develops lesser-known vocal and instrumental genres of Chechen music rarely heard outside of their own community. These include epic legends such as “Illi,” Sufi religious chants, and even love songs.
Bela Mutoshvili – voice, accordion
Lana Gunashashvili – voice, pondar (Chechen lute)
Linda Gunashashvili – voice
Mariami Bagakashvili – voice
The Pankisi Ensemble maintain a fine line between an ethnographic ensemble, for which it is important to follow the canon of their native tradition, and a bold musical group whose place is not in the museum of antiquities, but as active performers in diverse musical venues.
The group’s sound is also influenced by Georgian music, in which the Pankisi Ensemble is also deeply immersed. This has affected not only their repertoire, which in addition to Chechen songs also includes the folklore of different regions of Georgia, but also their general style, making the ensemble a particularly unique representation of the shared and distinct musical cultures of the Caucasus.
These are young musicians who are constantly and actively evolving. They are not afraid to experiment but they maintain the integrity of their sound, never allowing it to slide into a kind of banal “ethno-fusion.”
In 2022 they made their European debut at Roskilde festival in Denmark. In 2023 they did their first European tour including successful Le Guess Who? festival at Jakobikerk, Europalia‘s concert at Amare in The Hague, sold-out 300 cap Stairway in Copehagen and also Le Botanique Brussels, Panda Berlin, Musekhuset Dexter in Odense. More plenned for 2024 including Imaterial festival in Portugal, Druga Godba festival in Slovenia.
